


Slideshow

by numinous_mysteries (igloo_octopus)



Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-10 23:25:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12310080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igloo_octopus/pseuds/numinous_mysteries
Summary: For @fictober on Tumblr. Day 8: Slideshow





	Slideshow

Mulder was sprawled out reading on the couch when he heard William let out an exacerbated sigh from the kitchen. 

“Everything ok, buddy?”

“Yeah,” William replied. “I just don’t know how I’m going to finish this project.”

Mulder laid his book down on the coffee table and pulled up a seat at the kitchen table next to his son. 

“Your black hole presentation? I thought you were having fun researching that.”

“I am. But—I have all of these facts and cool pictures and quotes from astronomers and physicists but I don’t know how to put it all together in a way that makes sense.” 

Mulder saw William’s printouts and photos spread out disorderedly on the table, and more than a dozen tabs were open on the web browser on his laptop. It’s been fifteen years and Mulder still marvels over this brilliant person they created. He watched as his son furrowed his brow in frustration, a mirror image of the same look his mother had given Mulder countless times over the years. 

He cherishes these moments when he can be here for his son. Although he’s sure that William’s knowledge of the physics of black holes has probably already eclipsed his own it makes his heart swell to hear the boy ask for his help. By the time he was in high school himself he knew to stay out of his father’s way as much as possible lest he risk an angry outburst. 

“What about a slideshow?” 

“A what?”

“You know, like a presentation where you show one picture or document at a time and then explain what’s up on the screen. Does your school have a slide projector you can use?”

William considered his father’s question when the door opened and his mother entered. Her coat was slung over her arm and the ends of her hair have begun to frizz from the humidity.

“Hey mom!” 

Scully dropped her coat and bag on the couch and followed Will’s voice into the kitchen.

“Hey baby,” she said and kissed the dark auburn hair on the crown of his head. “What’re you working on?”

“My science project. Dad thinks I should do a slideshow.”

Scully laughed and moved to stand over Mulder, running a hand through his hair. “He does, huh?”

“Yeah, why’s that funny?” Will looked over and at his parents’ glancing at each other with one of those looks he could tell held years of history unknown to him.

“Yeah, _mom_ ,” Mulder echoed. “What’s so funny?”

“Well, I just remember suffering through more than a few of your dad’s slideshows back in the day.”

“Suffering?” Mulder feigned hurt with a hand on his heart. “All these years I thought I had you hanging on every word of my riveting presentations.” 

“Sure,” Scully said. “If that’s how you remember it.”

“Anyway,” William cut in. “That’s not a bad idea. I can do a PowerPoint.”

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Mulder said with a nod as he pushed back from the table.

William opened the program on his laptop on and his expression of frustration changed to one of intense focus as he stared creating PowerPoint slides. Mulder glanced from his son to Scully who was watching William with a smile. 

“I can put in special effects, too,” William said. “This is actually gonna be pretty cool.”

“See, Scully, that’s all I needed—special effects!”

“Sure, Mulder, whatever.”


End file.
